Shooting Americans (With a Camera, Obviously)

Why I’ll Probably Always Say Yes to American Clients

There’s something uniquely satisfying about working with American clients. Whatever dumpster fire is currently raging across the United States, it hasn’t ruined their greatest export—clients who actually pay on time, don’t quibble about budgets and are appreciative if you do a good job..

The College of Charleston Shoot

When the College of Charleston reached out to document their environmental studies program in Barcelona, the process was seamless from the start. The initial call was direct, the expectations were clear, and the deposit arrived before the first shoot day. Compared to the endless back-and-forth often endured with other clients, this was nothing short of miraculous.

Sagrada Família: Controlled Chaos

The first location was, predictably, Gaudí’s masterpiece. While the exterior swarmed with tourists, the interior provided a striking contrast—ample space, dramatic lighting.

Dressed in white, There was something of the religious cult about them. The 2 women who chaperoning them were slightly bemused by what looked like a definite coordinated turn out. Check the image above.

Beach Cleanup: When Fashion Says ‘Screw Practicality’

A few days later, we hit the beach near Sant Andreu de Besos, where the group would be cataloguing washed-up debris. I was curious—would they dress for sand, sun, and manual labor? Of course not.

Shooting on a beach hand handling an off camera flash, a neutral density filter with a mind of its own and a second camera was onerous as hell.

And the sand? It got everywhere (definitely don’t change lenses on a beach).

Flipped screens on cameras are a god send but if it’s so bright you can hardly see, framing shots in a lot of guess work.

We were there at the worst time for photography but flash can turn that to your advantage

After the shoot they had a lunch and I was invited. I was gasping for water and drank maybe 3-4 litres whilst there.

So the shoot ended, we all went our separate ways and I expect there won’t be any complications … unlike the job I had a week later, with a client whose name might sound a little like ‘amazing’ but that they most certainly aren’t.